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Wearing gloves in the hospital

Wearing gloves in the hospital helps prevent the spread of germs. This helps protect both patients and health care workers from infection.

When to Wear Gloves

Gloves create a barrier between germs and your hands. They help keep your hands clean and lessen your chance of getting germs that can make you sick.

Wear gloves every time you will be touching blood, body fluids, body tissues, mucous membranes, or broken skin. Even if a patient seems healthy and has no signs of any germs, you should still wear gloves for this sort of contact.

References

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Related Information

Review Date:
2/26/2012

Reviewed By:
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M. Health Solutions, Ebix, Inc.